Nice Girls
by mmmslash
Summary: “Well spit it out Fullmetal. I’m a busy man.” “I saw Al kissing Winry!”EdxRoy
1. Chapter 1

**Nice Girls**

"Fullmetal!" Roy exclaimed, his head popping up from its (most likely sleeping) position on his desk, light compression lines on his cheek mimicking the shape of his paperwork. He wiped a spot of drool off his lip and attempted to compose himself.

Any other situation and Ed would have grinned, would have not let Sleeping Beauty live it down. Instead, he flopped on the soft leather couch, rested his chin in his palm and sighed.

"Is there some reason you barged in? I'm very busy."

Ed rolled his eyes. "Taisa, what would you do if you had to compete for a girl?" the blonde boy burst out, somewhat less elegantly than he would have liked.

The colonel chuckled then stopped. Hmm. He didn't really know. "Compete? I'm not sure I follow?"

It had never really been his experience that he needed to fight. Usually the women flocked to him. He didn't have to do much to gather their attention. He frowned. Perhaps the fact that his competition in East City consisted of Havoc, Fury, Breda, and Falman helped. Perhaps that was why he kept them around. Hmmm...

"Are you even listening to me, Colonel Shit!"

Roy shook the distraction out of his head. "What?"

"I'm telling you something. About Al." Ed said, looking very sad.

Wait. The Colonel sat up. "Is your brother okay?"

Ed sighed loudly in a childish, frustrated tone, like he had just been grounded. "YES! He's just FINE! I'M the one who's not okay!"

"Well spit it out Fullmetal. I'm a busy man."

"I saw Al kissing Winry!"

Roy let out a sigh to match Ed's in childishness and rubbed roughly on the bridge of his nose. "Is that why you're here? I don't have time for this."

"You've got to help. I think they really like each other."

"Ed," Roy made a point to use the boy's real name in an attempt to calm him down, "Let them like each other. They're both nice people. They deserve each other."

"What about me? I'm nice..."

"No, you're not, Fullmetal. You don't deserve a nice girl."

Ed opened his mouth and gasped.

"You're loud, obnoxious, too focused on silly goals-"

"That's not true! Not now. We have our bodies back! What else do I have to search for?"

Roy simply continued his list. "You're arrogant, think far too highly of yourself-"

This time he stopped of his own accord. Oh. Hmm. Well that certainly did seem to describe himself. He sighed. It had to be said.

"I'm afraid that people like you...and me...don't get the nice girls. You just have to learn to want something else..." Roy trailed off.

Ed looked up with his mouth open. He was outraged...but he couldn't deny the truth of what Roy said.

"And besides. Winry never really seemed like your type. You need someone who can keep you in your place."

"Have you seen her wrenches!"

The colonel smirked. "You need someone stronger than you." He paused. "I've seen what kind of trouble you get into. I've seen that you hurt. And I've seen that you try to take it all on your shoulders."

Ed narrowed his eyes. What was the colonel trying to get at?

Roy threw his hands up. "What!"

"What are you getting at?" Ed asked suspiciously.

It was the colonel's turn to look shocked. "NO! By no means is that what I'm getting at!"

"Oh..." Ed said, sounding more dejected than he had intended. Roy did seem to know him pretty well. Would it be so bad if they maybe...

Roy, obviously flustered, turned his eyes back to his desk. "I think you can handle this on your own from here. Dismissed, Fullmetal."

Ed was slow to get up but eventually found himself at that door. Before he opened the door all the way, Roy spoke up.

"Oh, and Fullmetal. If you ever get tired of chasing after those nice girls, let me know."

Ed grinned softly and closed the door behind him.

Outside, Riza Hawkeye could have sworn that she saw him hop and click his heels together.

Surely she was mistaken.


	2. Chapter 2

The blonde let out a slow sigh as he got closer to his quarters. He had been feeling fine when he left the Colonel's office, light on his feet, "skippy" some could even say. Yet, as he got closer to his room, the muscles in his chest tightened and he hesitated as he reached for the doorknob.

He did not want to walk in on Al and Winry again. He hoped that she was gone so that he could talk to his brother about...things. He was rightly disappointed when he opened the door to see the back of Winry's head as she sat on the couch, her long blonde hair looking so soft and shiny as it rested on her shoulders. Ed fought the urge to turn and walk out of the room but she was too quick for him.

She turned in her seat and smiled a sad smile at him. "Will you come sit with me Ed?"

Ed shrugged, trying to look indifferent to the idea. Instead, he looked pouty. Still, he walked across the room and sat next to her, fiddling with the cuff of his red jacket, looking everywhere but at his friend.

"Where's Al?"

"He went to the river. Just like when he was little," Winry said with a soft smile playing at the corners of her eyes. "He wanted us to be able to talk."

Ed started a bit. Couldn't they just pretend that nothing had happened? "Oh."

"Ed, please don't be mad at us. We didn't want to hurt you. That's why we didn't say anythi-"

"You didn't say anything? How long has this been going on?" Ed asked in a shocked and hurt tone.

"I don't know, Ed. Four, maybe five months."

Ed stared at the floor with his mouth agape. Four or five months. So about as long as Al had a body. About as long as Al had a mouth that she could kiss.

"Please, please don't be mad."

Ed didn't know what to say. Instead he got up to get a glass of water. "Do you want anything, Winry?"

"No. Ed, don't change the subject."

"I'm not. I'm just thirsty."

Winry sighed. "We've talked about this Ed. You turned me down."

"We were eight! And I'm not mad about that, anyway," he lied. "I'm mad that you didn't tell me. That you felt you had to hide this." He didn't lie that time.

"You just seemed so lonely and we didn't want to make it worse."

Ed didn't respond. He just sipped quietly at his water.

"And besides," Winry said softly, "We thought that you and the colonel were a...thing."

Ed forced out a loud, grumpy sigh. Why did people always say that!

"Yeah, well, we're not," he said huffily, crossing his arms and plopping back down on the couch.

"Well, we know you're not _now._ We just thought that you guys hadn't quite worked out the details yet."

"What does that even mean!"

Winry sat quiet. "I - I don't know."

Ed pouted and stared at the floor.

"Ed, don't make me choose between the two of you. I love you both. But I've been waiting for Al ever since before he was put into that armor."

Ed tried to come up with a cranky response but could only smile lightly. It made him happy that his brother not only was in love but that someone cared about him enough to wait so long for him.

Winry's eyes lit up at the sight of Ed's smile. She threw her arms around his shoulder, still taken aback at the feeling of a completely squishy-flesh Edward, no automail in sight. "I love you Ed. And I love your brother. Thank you for raising him like you did."

Ed was quiet for a while as he thought over what she had said. He really had raised his brother. Their dad was never around and their mother died when they were so young. Al was the young man that he was because of what he and Ed had shared.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around Winry's waist and planted a small kiss on her forehead. "I love you too, Winry. Take care of my brother."

They sat like that for a moment before Ed forced himself up. "Speaking of which, I have something that I need to take care of myself."

Before he left the quarters, he turned back to Winry and she smiled. "We'll always have our wrenches, Ed."

Ed grinned. "So you've been saving all your niceness for Al."


	3. Chapter 3

Roy pulled his jacket closer around his body as the wind blew colder. He had asked Hawkeye to take care of the office for the rest of the afternoon. He needed a walk.

Did he really just say that to Ed? Even if he had, maybe Ed didn't take it the way he meant it. "Oh, and Fullmetal. If you ever get tired of chasing after those nice girls, let me know." Ed could take that as Roy very helpfully offering to guide him in picking out an appropriate mate.

Yes, that was the ticket. Merely trying to help. Helpful Roy. Yup, that was him.

Roy rubbed his temples. It was going to be a long night.

The colonel wound himself through town, through the park, and eventually down to the river. The wind was cold coming up off that water but it felt refreshing on his hot face. He was getting ready to lower himself onto the grass when he saw a figure sitting at the river's edge, knees drawn to his chest.

"Alphonse?"

The boy looked up. "Hi Roy!"

The man smiled and walked over to him. The grass crunched under his feet, a slight coating of frost indicating the coming of winter. He sat down.

They were silent for a moment. Although they had know each other for several years, it was still uncomfortable to talk to the boy in his new form. Though they had shared intense times, Al still seemed like a stranger.

"I talked to your brother today."

Al blushed and looked down.

"Congratulations," the man said smiling. His eyes looked tired when he smiled. Tired, but pleased.

Al's eyes became brighter. "Thanks." There was a pause. "He seemed pretty upset when he left."

Roy nodded. "Don't let that bother you. You know how he can be."

Al smiled softly. He certainly knew. Things had been as they were with Winry for some time. They had only really "been together" since he'd regained his body, but even before that they had talked. One night in Rush Valley they had confessed. Winry had been terribly upset over Ed being an idiot again and Al had comforted her. But there really was no reason to tell Ed at the time.

"With any luck, he's talking with Winry right now."

Roy smiled. "Good choice. It might be easier to deal with her."

"In case you hadn't noticed, this is how I deal with things. I like rivers. They're calm."

"Very unlike our Edward," Roy said with a gentle chuckle.

Al raised one eyebrow. '_Our?'_ Roy seemed to notice Al's reaction and returned his gaze to the writhing water.

"I just...meant...'our' as in 'we both know him.'"

Al smiled at the older man. "I should go back and see how things went with Ed and Winry."

The younger man stood up, stretched and looked solemnly at the colonel. "With all due respect, sir, I just want Ed to be happy. However he chooses to do that is great with me." He smiled once more before heading back toward he and Ed's quarters.

Roy laid back on the cold grass, his knees bent up. He laced his fingers together and slid them beneath his head. The colonel smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

"Al, just talk to him. I'm sure he won't-" Roy said as he lay in the grass, hearing footsteps returning to him.

"Talk to him about what?"

Roy sat up, recognizing the voice of the older Elric.

"Where's Al?"

Roy shrugged. "I thought you were him. He left maybe ten minutes ago."

"I thought I 'd catch up with him down here but I guess I'll have to wait until I get home."

The colonel expected Edward to turn and leave but instead the shorter alchemist lowered himself onto the grass beside his superior.

"So I talked to Winry," he said.

Roy nodded. "Al said she would be waiting for you."

Ed was quiet for a moment. "They really seem happy."

"I'm sure they are."

"Yeah. I know. They're both 'nice.'" Ed said, his soft smile betraying the grumble he was aiming for with this voice.

"Yes they are. And good-looking."

"I'm good-looking too!"

Roy chuckled. "Let's not start this again. I just mean that they are an attractive couple. That gets you far in this world."

Ed shook his head and grinned. Good old Roy, always thinking. "I don't think Al is really aiming anywhere high. He will probably just help Winry out at the automail shop. Every shop should have an alchemist around."

Roy nodded solemnly. "Indeed."

They were quiet for a few moments, staring at the river.

"What about you," Roy asked. "I suppose in a few months when your commitment to the military is up, you will be on your way back to Risembol?"

Ed shrugged. "Probably. I have no need for the military now that we have our bodies."

Well that certainly wasn't what he wanted to hear. He pushed himself off the ground and stood.

"Well then, Fullmetal, I wish you good luck on your travels," he said as he turned to walk. He had no intention of letting Edward see his disappointment.

Ed stood up, grabbing softly onto the colonel's sleeve. "I'm not going anywhere now," he said.

"I am aware of that fact."

"So you don't need to make your lazy, half-assed attempt at a goodbye right now."

Before Roy could pull away, Edward was staring him down.

"What did you mean in the office. I only ask because I want to know whether to be disgusted or not," Ed asked, narrowing his eyes.

"About not deserving nice girls? I just meant that-"

"That's not what I 'm asking and you know it."

"Oh. Right. I just know the dating world can be rough. Being a soldier for as long as you have can make it difficult to get back into the game and-"

"You bastard. I ask you a serious question and you lie to me."

Roy watched Ed's ponytail swish as he walked away. He hadn't been...entirely...lying. And besides, if Ed was heading east in a few months, what point was there to trying anyway? He sighed and laid back down at the river's edge, watching it tumble over itself. The cold air made the water seem to run more lazily. It had more of a gelatinous flow to it. Roy soon fell asleep to its sound, lost in thoughts of many failures and few successes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here is Chapter 5, sorry it's so short. This just seemed like an appropriate place to end the chapter. I have at least two more in the works. **

**Reviewers:**

**finalfantasys-child** - And continue I have! Thanks for the review!

**Shingo-sama** - Yeah, I don't really like EdxWinry either. They just don't work for me. Glad you enjoyed the story anyway!

**RejectedAndLoved** - These are my favorites too. Though, I am tossing around the idea of a WinryxScieska...Hmmm, Al will just have to share!

**SickFantasyChick** - Here it is! I will update again soon.

**Genkai-chan** - I promise, you will be tired of RoyxEd by the time I am done here!

**rachel115** - Yay! Thanks for the review!

**koolmint26** - Ed is pretty great, isn't he!

**crazykitsune17** - :blushes: Thanks! For a newbie, that's much appreciated!

**Sand3** - Thanks for the help!

Onward to Chapter 5!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Ed!" Al exclaimed as the blonde boy walked into their quarters. "Winry left. It's just you and me. Want to play cards or anything?"

Edward smiled softly at his brother's anxious attempts to make the older sibling feel welcome. "Thanks, Al, but I think I'm just going to head to bed."

"Oh," Al said, his face falling.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm not mad. I don't feel left out. I was just down at the river and now I'm tired."

"Did you see Colonel Mustang down there?"

Ed frowned. "Yeah. I saw him."

Al's grin spread wide across his face. He was damn near giddy. "Did you talk?"

Ed's eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead. "Why?"

Al shrunk back into his seat. "Well, I, er, just got the feeling that he wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah we talked. I told him I'll be going back to Risembol soon."

"Why!"

"Because I am. As soon as my commitment is up."

"But what about the colonel?"

"What about him? He's useless with me here and he'll be useless when I leave. No loss!"

Al frowned, but his eyes were determined. Ed had last seen that look when they insisted that their sensei take them in as pupils. "It's still not very nice."

"Why should I be nice to him? He sent us on worthless missions. He yelled at me. He made fun of my, well, my height. And then he hits on me and leaves!" Ed's eyes widened and he clamped a hand over his mouth. He wrinkled up his nose and he stared at his brother. "That never leaves this room. Understand?"

Al grinned and nearly danced. "I understand. But, Niisan, please talk to him. I thought it would be hard to talk to Winry, but it wasn't." He smiled again. "It wasn't hard. It was nice. The colonel's nice too. He'll understand."

Ed smiled, cynicism playing on his lips. "Maybe he's nice to _you_. You watch, I'll go in to talk to him and he will pretend he can't see me past his paperwork."

Al laughed and threw his arms around his brother and they fell into wrestling on the ground.


End file.
